The present invention relates to a trap for catching and exterminating burrowing types of insects, such as ants, in an environmentally friendly manner. More specifically, the present invention relates to a non-pesticide type insect trap adapted to enclose the ground surrounding an insect habitation to flood the enclosed area with water and force the insects out of the ground for extermination.
Insect control is an area to which considerable attention has been devoted for many years. One type of insect in particular, ants from the genus Solenopsis, commonly known as fire ants, have aggressively colonized large areas of the southern United States and have developed into a serious pest control problem. Fire ants are responsible for causing substantial property damage and inflicting injury to people and animals.
Due to environmental concerns, the use of dangerous toxic chemicals as pesticides to control fire ants and other insects is no longer favored. Such toxic chemicals present an unacceptable health risk to homeowners with children and pets that may contact the dangerous chemicals. In an attempt to avoid extensive use of these toxic chemicals, a variety of insect traps have been developed to contain the infestation. As illustrated by U.S. Pat. Nos. 464,535; 280,291; 673,155; 1,002,919; and 1,471,986, many of these prior art traps have focused on designing a trap that fits around the ant mound or directly over the entrance of the ant mound in order to trap the ants as they emerge from the mound. A common feature to these inventions is the incorporation of a trough that may be filled with an insecticide or other fluid that keeps the ants from escaping. However, devices of this type have several disadvantages. First, the trap works in a passive manner, catching only those ants that crawl into the trap. The trap itself has no ability to force the ants out of the ground for extermination. The liquid placed in the trough is stationary and does not actively operate to prevent ants from crawling up the sides of the trough to escape. Only the design of the walls of the trap keeps the ants from escaping. Secondly, this type of trap require an extensive amount of time to work, during which time the ants may excavate a new entrance to the colony, avoiding the trap entirely. Additionally, due to the extended time periods the trap is in place, it may fill with rainwater and allow ants to escape by overflowing. Thirdly, some of these traps do not have the ability to trap flying ants and insects that emerge from the mound. Since the queen ant is capable of flight, the inability to capture this particular ant results in the queen being able to re-colonize another area outside the trap.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide an environmental insect control apparatus that traps insects as they emerging from the insect habitation so they can be exterminated.
It is an object of the present invention to provide an environmental insect control apparatus that forces insects to leave the insect habitation and crawl to the surface by flooding the habitation with non-toxic fluid.
It is an object of the present invention to provide an environmental insect control apparatus that manipulated a continuous flow of fluid through the apparatus to restrict insects from escaping.
It is an object of the present invention to provide an environmental insect control apparatus that cover the entrance of the insect habitation with a pool of fluid to prevent winged insects from escaping.
The above objectives are accomplished according to the present invention by providing an environmental insect control apparatus used to force insects out of the ground for extermination by flooding the insect habitation with water. The apparatus includes a perimeter wall for being recessed into the ground surrounding an insect habitation, which forms an enclosed treatment area for the extermination of insects as the insects leave the habitation. An interior ledge is carried by an upper portion of the perimeter wall on an interior side of the wall and extends into the enclosed treatment area. A trough is thus formed between the interior ledge and the upper portion of the perimeter wall. The trough is adapted for receiving a supply of water, which circulates through the trough and cascades over a lip of the interior ledge into the enclosed treatment area to form a pool of water. As the water cascades over the lip of the interior ledge, insects attempting to crawl up and out of the trap are swept back down. As a result, the insects are trapped in the enclosed treatment area and the recessed perimeter wall restricts the passage of insects and water underneath the perimeter wall and floods the insect habitation with water. As the water cascades into the enclosed treatment area, a pool of water will form over the top of the mound to prevent any winged insects from escaping. The water then forces the insects out of the ground and up into enclosed treatment area for extermination by any number of chemical and non-chemical extermination means.
In a further advantageous embodiment, the insect control apparatus includes a serrated bottom edge to the perimeter wall for cutting into the ground surrounding the insect habitation to recess the wall and restrict the passage of insects and water underneath the wall. Preferably, the interior ledge is disposed below a top edge of the perimeter wall so that water is prevented from spilling over the perimeter wall and possibly allowing insects to escape. Additionally, the apparatus preferably includes a handle carried on an exterior side of the perimeter wall to provide leverage in recessing the perimeter wall and cutting through the ground with the serrated bottom edge. Using the handle, a person can shift the apparatus back and forth in a cutting motion to dig a channel in the ground in which to set the apparatus and prevent water and insects from running out underneath the apparatus.
In a further advantageous embodiment, the insect control apparatus includes a hose connector carried by the perimeter wall for introducing a continuous supply of water to the apparatus. Preferably, the hose connector includes a water chute for directing the passage of water from the hose into the trough so that the water is properly circulated around the perimeter wall before cascading into the enclosed treatment, thereby sweeping any insects off the perimeter wall and trough.
Accordingly, an environmentally friendly insect control apparatus is provided for the extermination of burrowing insects without the extensive use of chemical pesticides.